LGBT Groups Sign Arcus Foundation Letter Demanding Disarmament

Text of letter from the $144m-endowed Anglo-American Arcus Foundation, which doled-out some $28m to LGBT groups in 2014:

As U.S. government leaders continue to grapple with addressing gun violence-prevention following last weekend’s homophobic massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, LGBTQ and gun violence-prevention advocates and activists are calling for more stringent checks to keep guns out of dangerous hands.

The Orlando tragedy, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, highlights how vulnerable LGBTQ communities are to hate-fueled violence, especially LGBTQ communities of color.

Hate violence has risen sharply in recent years, with a 20% increase in reported LGBTQ homicides in the U.S. between 2014 and 2015, according to a study released this week by The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP). Of the homicides reported last year, 62% were LGBTQ people of color.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) hate crime statistics tell us year after year that people are most frequently targeted for hate violence based on the personal characteristics related to race, religion, and sexual orientation. According to The Williams Institute, gay men report being victims of violent hate crimes at a higher rate than any other targeted group, and these crimes are more violent and result in hospitalization more often.

And yet we cannot ignore the fact that transgender people are at great risk of being victims of hate violence because of their gender identity and this reality is even worse for those who are also targeted on the basis of their race, ethnicity, class, and citizenship status. Fifty-four percent of all hate-violence related LGBTQ homicides were transgender women of color, according to the NCAVP study.

We recognize the need to address the bigotry that motivates acts of violence toward LGBTQ people, and we also recognize that such violence is far more deadly when carried out with firearms.

Any solutions to the problem of hate violence, including anti-LGBTQ violence, must address the alarmingly easy access that bigots have to such deadly weapons. For example, under current law, people convicted of violent hate crimes can legally buy and possess guns. This is unacceptable.

With each new massacre, most recently the one in Orlando, we hope the number of homicides has pushed Americans over the threshold of tolerance for hatred fueled by people who seek to divide the country; for weak gun laws that arm those with hate in their hearts; and for the more than 90 victims of gun killings nationwide each day, affecting people of all backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

Assault-style weapons, like the Sig Sauer MCX rifle used in Sunday’s Pulse nightclub shooting, can be purchased legally in the state of Florida without a background check – as long as the purchase is made from an unlicensed seller.

Eighteen states have already taken steps to close this dangerous “unlicensed sale loophole.” But in the remaining states, including Florida, anyone can buy a gun from an unlicensed seller with no background check, no questions asked.

Under current U.S. federal law, people on terror watch lists can legally buy guns, exploiting this “terror gap.” Since 2004, more than 2,000 terror suspects have taken advantage of this loophole. But we also recognize how this screening mechanism has the dangerous potential to profile specific communities on the basis of their actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, and other attributes.

Orlando is the sixth mass shooting1 in the U.S. since January 2009 to be investigated as an act of terrorism by the FBI. Americans are 25 times more likely than people in other developed countries to fall victim to a gun homicide.

The federal background check system established in 1994 by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act has blocked more than 2.6 million gun sales to prohibited purchasers at licensed dealers; however, an estimated 40% of gun sales across the U.S. take place without a background check, primarily at gun shows and online.

We urge Congress to make a start towards stronger protections against gun violence nationwide by enacting laws to:

1. Prevent known and suspected terrorists and those convicted of violent hate crimes from legally buying guns.

2. Ensure that criminal background checks are required on all gun sales, including online and at gun shows.

It should be carefully noted that when the raw numbers do not support your case statistics will ALWAYS be given as percentages. By this means if there was one of something you do not like last year and there are two this year you can claim a 100% increase without having to state quantities.

There are a LOT of percentages in this letter and zero actual numbers.

Who do the LGBT (hugely small and vulnerable minority) think is going to protect them from shat-ria law?

I think individual members of this community might be now, but I think the LGBT movement better stop to reassess all of the support it actually gets from conservative/Christian members of the U.S. society. Let us all know how bad we’re wasting our time and we’ll devote more of our attention to “NOT”.

This is a (another) LGBT problem created by its own community. They are (STILL) useful idiots for the people using them as tools to help foster their agenda [which, if it wasn’t a minority (even with the LGBT group) it wouldn’t need to market the idea of gun control, they’d just do it (and we could have at in a less civilized fashion)].

Why would these groups change their tunes? Too much money available for being defenseless victims. The “leaders” of these groups are making some fat-ass paychecks off of victim-hood. The Orlando massacre is a financial boon for these groups.

“We recognize the need to address the bigotry that motivates the left to constantly blame lawful gun owners for the crimes of the unlawful.”

Fixed it.

This list of dangerous people you so cling to is not the shield against violence you think it is. “But, but, but…you’re on a list” is a poor defense when that person kills you via a dozen other potential methods not regulated by “the List”.

What exactly is this online loop hole that keeps getting cited? I know they all spread false information but how do they figure buying a firearm online is done without a background check?? If I’m not mistaken it is a double Check
1- from the online seller
2- from the FFL of choice
What am I missing?

It might be possible, in theory, to make arrangements with a non FFL seller to complete a person to person transaction without going through a (unconstitutional) background check. Also in theory if you did not cross state lines this would not be considered illegal in most states.

Personally I would suspect every person who responded to such an opportunity to be an agent of or informant to the BATFE.

Private sellers, are the new Satan, in our modern times; but more background checks didn’t stop the Orlando killer, nor will they stop the next. The body armor he tried to buy was blocked, thank goodness for small mercies.

The problem that Orlando reveals is that with each attack, both sides of this faux debate, (fake on the left side, as it is a political side show to enact sweeping gun control, a coveted dream of Democrats for ages) become entrenched with no middle ground to be found. This debate has painted those who advocate for 2A freedom synonymous with the Orlando killer, as seen on TV, and can be read in the newspapers, this is a coercive shitstorm that ends in new laws and reduced political capitol for the Republican party, and discredits the RTKBA.

This is the tyranny against free and open speech Milo has talked about.

I don’t remember who said this next point, but it well worth pondering. “They” (presumably the Communists of the 1940’s and 1950’s) realized they would never limit free speech and get full control of the narrative (as is required by the Manifesto) through legal means, so they sought ‘social’ means.

Political correctness is the result of that. PC is an end run around the BoR. It is social shaming and silencing dissenters, not by laws (because of that pesky First Amendment).

And, if anyone doubt that, take a look at the attack on Due Process and Privacy that has been subjected to exactly the same attacks. The “Social Justice” crowd (new fangled term for Marxist Collectivists) seek to literally destroy lives on the basis of unfounded accusations…no burden of proof, no representation, no fair and impartial jury needed or wanted. Just twitter and facebook harassment and a heap ton of willing support from the MSM every step of the way.

And this is why I don’t associate with any such groups despite being what I am, aside from subscribing to my local Pink Pistols newsletter.

Though now more than ever I’m reaaaally considering getting a concealed carry permit, although my workplace is a gunfree zone I’m… honestly not sure whether it would be worth it. Given I don’t exactly go many places, when I do it’s usually across the border, and Minnesota doesn’t reciprocate Wisconsin permits… so… what to do?

“49 murdered and you are just now getting around to “reaaaally considering” tooling up. Reaaaally? What is it going to take?”

I live in a town of 2,000 people, split between mostly Lutheran and Catholic religious backgrounds, and not a single person in the area has said anything negative about gays or transgenders. The only Muslim I know of in the area is the district manager for one of the gas stations and is only in town one day out of the week, and not exactly a threat. I walk to my factory job, which is in town. Whenever I go out of town, it’s usually out of state, where Wisconsin CC isn’t reciprocated, and as Wisconsin is a permitless open-carry state, I can open carry when I’m not going to work. I know of 10-12 coworkers (of ~30 on my shift) who carry firearms in their vehicles at all times, and my employer does not allow for concealed carry.

To put it simply, I’ve not seen the point of it from a practical perspective.

I can appreciate your risk assessment approach, but please do consider that trouble can find you anywhere. Even people in small towns have been attacked, and there has been a bit of violence in churches.

I’m not what you are (your words), but I heartily commend Pink Pistols.

Will your work let you leave the gun in the car? That way you can at least carry it when you stop by somewhere after work. It’s also at least slightly possible you might manage to get to it if the shit hits the fan where you work.

They want a law where known terrorist and those convicted of violent hate crime are prohibited from legally purchasing a firearm…..gee I thought they were already prohibited. But of course does one assume that someone about to do something illegal is going to be stopped slowed by not being able to purchase a gun legally. People spend to much time in virtual reality and can no longer distinguish between real and imagined.

If they have done nothing illegal to get themselves arrested, tried, convicted and incarcerate then there is NO PROVISION in the Second Amendment for the government to disarm them or deny them arms.

The reason that the Second Amendment includes everybody (except the government) is that the good guys will almost always outnumber the bad guys and crazies. If enough good guys are armed and ready the bad guys can and will be stopped the instant they show their true colors.

For proof, see the ending of almost every Western movie or TV show where the town is dominated by corrupt ranchers or a violent gang. The townspeople finally have enough and arm up to confront the bad guys and drive them out. Until the citizens man up and arm up they are just slaves to the will of the powerful and ruthless.

They got one thing right in their letter: “…in modern history” Hopefully people will stumble across what is likely the largest, the Colfax massacre. In 1873 another group of Democrat terrorists slaughtered 100 black freedmen and militiamen. There are similarities. Democrats. Guns. Attack on a minority group.

This is simply emotional knee jerk reaction being pushed in an election year by the anti-gun lobby and Democrats who see the LGBT community as their base. I have even seen my Gay friend be told that he is “not” Gay because he is not a Democrat and because he likes guns — that is what it has become.

This is all stupid BS for political gain — that is all.

I understand the emotion and gravity of the event, but that does not mean all logic should be thrown out for emotions.

well now, don’t that knock yer hat in tha crick? we got them pink pistol folks gunnin’-up to protect themselves, then we got all them lefty liberal gay folks hatin’ guns. why caint they all jes get along? seems like someone done called it right in another subject, notin’ how the democrats and their friends take more note of protectin’ muslims than gays.

Ok, looks like things could be setting up for a doozy of a fight between this crowd and the Pink Pistols. Gonna grab a brewski, sit on the couch and watch this one play out. But seriously, this is a prime example of political correctness and feel good taking priority over physical protection. Right here, for everyone to watch.

I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but I’ll summarize here. I don’t remember who said this (that I heard it from)…might even have been someone on this site.

But, there is one hypothesis that Political Correctness was born out of the realization by old school Communists that they would never be able to control the narratives of public discourse in the United States through laws due to our First Amendment.

Therefore, they crafted “social punishment” for unacceptable speech and used that as an end-run around the Bill of Rights. It’s not just Freedom of Speech, but also Privacy (cf Gawker) and Due Process (any rape or child molestation accusation that tried in the ‘court of public opinion’ long before evidence is presented or a fair trial granted).

This “solution” by enemies of the Constitution has been very effective. They DO control the narratives, for example.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell who your enemies are, sometimes they dress up in rainbow patterns and march in parades, and express it openly. Sometimes, they vote (D) but both are liberal_progressive_communist.

” For example, under current law, people convicted of violent hate crimes can legally buy and possess guns. This is unacceptable.”

In principle this is fine. In practice… The trouble is the broad, blank-check definition of Hate Crime can be extended to anything. Limiting it to violent ones is a step in the right direction, but this is still far too broad to be used to deny constitutional rights. Also if someone is too dangerous to own a gun, why aren’t they still locked up?

“Assault-style weapons, like the Sig Sauer MCX rifle used in Sunday’s Pulse nightclub shooting, can be purchased legally in the state of Florida without a background check – as long as the purchase is made from an unlicensed seller.”

The MCX used in Orlando however was purchased with a background check. What’s your point? Has there been a single rifle used in a mass-casualty event in the last 30 years that was legally acquired through an unregulated private transaction? Signs point to no.

“Eighteen states have already taken steps to close this dangerous “unlicensed sale loophole.” ”

One of them had a couple of attacks just recently. California has eliminated this ‘loophole’, yet the shooters had no trouble with simply breaking the law. Another is Illinois, the home of Chicago. You can see how well it works there, and how much respect killers there have for the law.

“Under current U.S. federal law, people on terror watch lists can legally buy guns, exploiting this “terror gap.” ”

And the Orlando shooter was not on a watch list, not on a no-fly list, and was an employee of a private security company contracted by the US government.

“Americans are 25 times more likely than people in other developed countries to fall victim to a gun homicide.”

Define ‘developed country’. Mexico is a developed country. Brazil is a developed country. South Africa is a developed country. I don’t think anyone will argue that Russia isn’t a developed country.

“The federal background check system established in 1994 by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act has blocked more than 2.6 million gun sales to prohibited purchasers at licensed dealers; however, an estimated 40% of gun sales across the U.S. take place without a background check, primarily at gun shows and online.”

How many of those 2.6 million were false positives? How many were charged with the federal crime of attempting to purchase a firearm as a prohibited person? How many were convicted? Then you trot out the 40% number, gleaned from a tiny phone survey that took place before the Brady background checks were implemented. States that have recently passed UBC laws have seen only a slight statistical increase in background checks as a result, something around 5%, which is a whole lot less than 40%. So either your 40% number is wildly incorrect, or there’s a lot of people breaking the law and not being prosecuted.

The LGBT “COMMUNITY” may be all for gun control and civil disarmament. But let’s be clear, the Second Amendment empowers all citizens equally; gay or straight alike. Individuals, regardless of their sexual orientations, are totally free to disregard “LBGT group think”. Individuals can choose for themselves to take matters into their own hands to protect themselves. Hence the emergence of gun groups within the broader LGBT community like the pink pistols.

To those LGBT individuals who rightly feel they’re targeted I say CHOOSE. Either choose to be a passive disarmed victim. Or choose to take control of your own safety. Regardless of your choice, you’ll still be a target. The POWER of choice comes from have the means, training and willingness to shoot back. To steal a phrase, “LGBT power, like all political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”

Big Gay, like the rest of the Progressive community, is suffering from cognitive dissonance and has redirected their anger to Christians, conservatives and guns. They make themselves believe “if only we disarm those extremist Christian bigots and force North Caroline to let men who wear dresses use the women’s locker room Muslims would embrace the gay lifestyle..” Big Gay created a group called “Queers for Palestine” so they can have contingent in that Progressive hobby horse. There was a march in London where the Muslims told QFP to go away and they complied with a smile. Folks, you can’t fix stupid.

“But we also recognize how this screening mechanism has the dangerous potential to profile specific communities on the basis of their actual or perceived race, religion, national origin, and other attributes.”

They should look at that and think about what all the power they want to hand the government could be used for if the theocrats among the religious right ever get hold of power: do they really want to hand government an authority that could be used against them?